Sean “Diddy” Combs’ REVOLT has unveiled key promotions to reshape the top management at the hip-hop cable network after the departure of Roma Khanna as CEO last year.
Detavio Samuels, hired as chief operating officer in 2020, is promoted to CEO, while Colin McIntosh adds the COO title to his chief financial officer duties at the Black-owned media company. Samuels and McIntosh started sharing the leadership at REVOLT as co-heads when former MGM and NBCU exec Khanna stepped down as CEO in July 2020.
And longtime digital strategist Deon Graham has been upped to chief brand officer at Combs Enterprises, Combs’ portfolio of businesses and investments, where he will work closely with Samuels and McIntosh.
“With Black creativity driving the global economy and Hip Hop driving global culture, REVOLT is primed to be the leading Black-owned global media power. Our focus is growing rapidly, expanding digitally, positioning Hip Hop to dominate the video space, and transforming the global media landscape,” Samuels said in a statement.
Launched in 2013 as a music channel on Comcast after its merger with NBCUniversal, the hip hop network plans to create talent-driven channels and forge strategic partnerships with leading brands and media platforms. REVOLT said it has added two million new subscribers from Comcast in the last year to an active viewership in over 60 million homes, and crossed one million YouTube subscribers organically.
The company is also set to release a new REVOLT digital mobile app in the second quarter of 2021 to offer 24-hour original content to viewers worldwide.
“My vision for REVOLT was always to build the world’s largest Black-owned media company powered by the smartest young executives from the culture. As we reimagine the future of the brand, it’s important that we stay true to that mission and position real game-changers to lead the way,” Combs added in his own statement.
This article was originally published by The Hollywood Reporter.
